Steam's Epic Holiday Sale and Games Giveaway Starts Now

Nobody likes getting a lump of coal for Christmas, even though being naughty can have its perks. But almost everyone we know likes getting free things, and if you collect enough coal, you can trade it in for free gifts, or use it as a lottery piece to potentially win every single game on Steam. Wait, what? That's right, Steam is awarding one lucky person every single game it has as a grand prize in this year's Epic Holiday Giveaway.

Let's back up a moment. Steam's annual Holiday Sale is going on right now, which means deep discounts on a variety of games. There are new deals posted every day through January 1st, such as 75 percent off Metro 2033 ($4.99) and 11 other titles, as well as various package deals. We're having trouble checking them all out because apparently Steam's getting hammered pretty hard right now.

Coinciding with the Holiday Sale is Steam's Epic Holiday Giveaway. Every day through January 1st, Steam will list a set of six objectives on its Great Gift Pile page. For each one you complete, you'll either get a free gift or a lump of coal, the latter of which you can trade in (seven pieces of coal can be traded in for a gift from Steam's Great Gift Pile) or save up and use as an entry into Steam's giveaway (each lump of coal gets you one entry). It's hokey, but the discounts and giveaways are not. Check this out:

Grand Prize (1 winner): Every single game on Steam

First Prize (50 winners): Top 10 items on wishlist

Second Prixe (100 winners): Top 5 items on wishlist

Third Prize (1,000 winners): Valve Complete Pack

The Grand Prize is insane and is sure to brighten someone's holiday, possibly yours.